A suction canister liner including a body portion having a sidewall and a bottom. An annular tapered sealing surface is positioned over the sidewall of the canister liner body portion to allow ease of loading and unloading. The annular tapered sealing surface has a top diameter and a bottom diameter, where the top diameter is greater than the bottom diameter. The canister liner may be placed within the interior of a canister. The canister sidewall includes a vacuum port adapted to communicate with a vacuum source. A lid having a patient port and a suction port engages and removably covers the open top end of the canister liner. The annular tapered sealing surface of the canister liner seals against the interior surface of the rim of the canister when a vacuum is applied to the canister interior through the vacuum port by the vacuum source.
